Buddy 50 Project

[superfishyall]

Hi - I just wheeled this project scooter into the garage. It's a 2006 50cc Buddy. It hasn't been used for a very long time. I'm going to go through it completely. I know very little about its history or condition, except that it's leaking a greenish fluid (2 cycle oil?) from a cracked hose and the front brake doesn't work. The dash lights up when I turn the key and it buzzes a little when I try to start it. First order of business is to find the manual. Second order is to tidy the garage!

[scootERIK]

First order of business is to find the manual.

It's right here- http://www.modernbuddy.com/pdf/buddy50_ ... manual.pdf

[superfishyall]

Got the manuals. Got the garage tidied. And got the Buddy all cleaned up for working on it. Problems I have identified are several missing screws, detached wires from lower turn signals, bad grommet on rear brake cable (is rear brake a drum), leaking oil, and of course it doesn't start. Next steps are check battery, replace cracked oil tube, drain old gas.

[DeeDee]

I've gone through a couple of those in similar shape. Do yourself a favor and pull the plastics and remove the fuel tank to clean it. There is a fine filter up in the tank where it meets the petcock. These can get full of sludge from a long sitting scooter. Also replace the in-line filter. You can get a good 1/4" small engine filter from any auto parts store. Are you in Denver? I see the low power sticker on the rear mud guard.

[superfishyall]

Do you have to remove the tank to clean that filter or is it on the end of the petcock? Good idea on the in-line filter. The Scooter is in Oregon now but spent most of its life in Boulder.

[DeeDee]

Once you remove the petcock, you can grab the end of the filter with some needle nose pliers. Tug it out, and clean it off with carb cleaner. You might want to check the jetting of the carb where you are. Boulder is a bit over a mile high.

[superfishyall]

Thanks DeeDee! You answered one of my questions with your comment about jetting, and that was whether the carb is maintainable or not. It sounds like it is and something else that will need to be done before starting it. If the jets are correct, they are probably clogged. I haven't ever worked on a 2-stroke motor before. It looks like there is not crankcase oil - just that plastic oil tank up front. Is there a mechanism that feeds it into the carb at a specific rate? The service manual is pretty bad.

[DeeDee]

It's oil injected. You don't want the tank filled all the way up to the top of the tube. Try and keep the oil level inside the tank proper. Who knows how old the current oil is in there. I would pump it out and replace it with Motul or Lucas before you try to start it. To me the hardest part about cleaning the carb was seperating it from the airbox.

[superfishyall]

The oil tank was empty because the tube to the injector cracked. I replaced the tube and put a pint of Lucas in. I tested the fuel petcock and it works fine. The gas tank was also dry to I put a little ethanol free gas in and cranked it twice for ten seconds each. No go. I'll try again for another 10 or 20 seconds and then yank the carb if no results. It looks like the carb and the airbox can be removed together and separated on the bench. Is that what you did. Do you know how to disconnect the throttle? It sort of disappears into the top of the carb. I pulled back the boot and turned that cap but it just spun around and didn't seem to want to come off.

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Is the brake fluid reservoir inside the handle bar cover?

I've only worked on one other Scooter - a 50 cc Vespa. It was also carbureted but everything is laid out very differently.

[superfishyall]

I pulled the carb. Both jets were plugged. After reassembly, it coughed once but didn't start. It didn't seem to be generating enough vacuum to open the petcock. I primed it manually and it fired right up. I thought it would die after the prime used up, but it's been running great. It's got some zip to it.

The brake reservoir was under the handlebar cover. Sigh. Taking on and off the speedometer cable was a real bear. But after filling the reservoir, I now have a front brake. On my list is to flush out that completely.

Thanks for your help with this!

[eggsalad]

Taking on and off the speedometer cable was a real bear.

Next time, disconnect the speedometer cable at the front wheel. Place a piece of tape over the end so the core doesn't slide out. Then you have all the slack in the world to take the speedo cover off.

[superfishyall]

Taking on and off the speedometer cable was a real bear.

Next time, disconnect the speedometer cable at the front wheel. Place a piece of tape over the end so the core doesn't slide out. Then you have all the slack in the world to take the speedo cover off.

Good idea!!

[VSP]

Problems I have identified are.....detached wires from lower turn signals..

Those are the factory blinkers that don't meet DOT standards here. The handlebar blinkers were added using the wiring that used to plug into the lower lights. I used to sell adapters for those lights. I believe someone here still does. Search "deadlights" and you'll find a ton of info.

[eggsalad]

Taking on and off the speedometer cable was a real bear.

Next time, disconnect the speedometer cable at the front wheel. Place a piece of tape over the end so the core doesn't slide out. Then you have all the slack in the world to take the speedo cover off.

Good idea!!

Of course it is! I learned it on www.modernbuddy.com !

[superfishyall]

The fuel petcock leaks. I removed it, and there is a black seal down inside the nut that is degraded. Is that a replaceable O-ring or an integrated part of the petcock? It seems to be part of the device and not replaceable. Thanks.

[superfishyall]

Hi again,

This thing runs great when it runs, but I haven't been able to start it for weeks. I replaced the petcock and tested it. I replaced the fuel filter and the vacuum line to the petcock. I cleaned the two jets in the carb. I pulled the plug and tested for spark and have it. I primed the carb manually. It cranks over strong but no sign of life. What should I check next? Thanks!

[heavyzed]

I'm glad I found this thread. I'm trying to reattach the top handlebar cover on my Buddy 125 and I can't, for the life of me, get the speedometer cable reattached. Is there a good place to learn how to disconnect the speedometer cable at the front wheel?

I'm new to scootering and tinkering with my scoot.

Thanks!

Taking on and off the speedometer cable was a real bear.

Next time, disconnect the speedometer cable at the front wheel. Place a piece of tape over the end so the core doesn't slide out. Then you have all the slack in the world to take the speedo cover off.

Good idea!!

[eggsalad]

Is there a good place to learn how to disconnect the speedometer cable at the front wheel?

Yes! That place is right here!

Look at the right side of your front wheel. Between the fork leg and the wheel is a disc-shaped object, about 75mm in diameter. There's a cable coming out of it at the 10:00 position. There's a rubber boot on that cable. Slide that rubber boot up the cable and you will see the end of the speedometer cable. It looks very much like the end you're trying to attach to the speedometer, because it is.

Have a ~4" piece of tape at the ready. Any tape will do. Disconnect the cable, just like you did at the speedometer, by unscrewing the collar. The core of the cable will want to slide out, so put the piece of tape over it to prevent that from happening. Now you have all the slack in the world to connect to your speedometer.

Once the handlebar cover is reinstalled, reattach the end at the wheel.